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1993-03-16
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EXPOSITION.
Jehovah has ordained his people the heirs of blessedness,
and nothing shall rob them of their inheritance. With all the
fullness of his power he will bless them, and all his attributes
shall unite to satiate them with divine contentment. Nor is this
merely for the present, but the blessing reaches into the long
and unknown future. "_Thou Lord, wilt bless the righteous_." This
is a promise of infinite length, of unbounded breadth, and of
unutterable preciousness.
As for the defence which the believer needs in this land
of battles, it is here promised to him in the fullest measure.
There were vast shields used by the ancients as extensive as a
man's whole person, which would surround him entirely. So says
David, "_With favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield_."
According to Ainsworth there is here also the idea of being
crowned, so that we wear a royal helmet, which is at once our
glory and defence. O Lord, ever give to us this gracious
coronation!
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.
Verse 12.--When the strong man armed comes against us,
when he darts his fiery darts, what can hurt us, if God compass
us about with _his lovingkindness as with a shield_? He can
disarm the tempter and restrain his malice, and tread him under
our feet. If God be not with us, if he do not give us sufficient
grace, so subtle, so powerful, so politic an enemy, will be too
hard for us. How surely are we foiled, and get the worse, when we
pretend to grapple with him in our own strength! How many falls,
and how many bruises by those falls have we got, by relying too
much on our own skill? How often have we had the help of God when
we have humbly asked it! And how sure are we to get the victory,
_if Christ pray for us that we do not fail_! #Lu 22:31|. Where
can we go for shelter but unto God our Maker! When this lion of
the forest does begin to roar, how will he terrify and vex us,
till he that permits him for awhile to trouble us, be pleased to
chain him up again!--^Timothy Rogers, 1691.
Verse 12.--"_As with a shield_." Luther, when making his
way into the presence of Cardinal Cajetan, who had summoned him
to answer for his heretical opinions at Augsburg, was asked by
one of the Cardinal's minions, where he should find a shelter, if
his patron, the Elector of Saxony, should desert him? "Under the
shelter of heaven!" was the reply. The silenced minion turned
round and went his way.
Verse 12.--"With favour wilt thou compass him as with a
shield_." The shield is not for the defence of any particular
part of the body, as almost all the other pieces are: helmet,
fitted for the head; plate designed for the breast; and so
others, they have their several parts, which they are fastened
to; but the shield is a piece that is intended for the defence of
the whole body. It was used therefore to be made very large; for
its broadness, called a gate or door, because so long and large,
as in a manner to cover the whole body. And if the shield were
not large enough at once to cover every part, yet being a movable
piece of armour, the skilful soldier might turn it this way or
that way, to catch the blow or arrow from lighting on any part
they were directed to. And this indeed doth excellently well set
forth the universal use that faith is of to the Christian. It
defends the whole man: every part of the Christian by it is
preserved. ... The shield doth not only defend the whole body,
but it is a defence to the soldier's armour also; it keeps the
arrow from the helmet as well as head, from the breast and
breastplate also. Thus faith, it is armour upon armour, a grace
that preserves all the other graces.--^William Gurnall.
HINTS TO PREACHERS.
Verse 12 (first clause).--_The divine blessing upon the
righteous_. It is ancient, effectual, constant, extensive,
irreversible, surpassing, eternal, infinite.
Verse 12 (second clause).--A sense of divine favour a
defence to the soul.